Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1972 Jan;44(1):17–30. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1972.tb07234.x

Responses of the isolated, perfused human spleen to sympathetic nerve stimulation, catecholamines and polypeptides

A B Ayers, B N Davies, P G Withrington
PMCID: PMC1665690  PMID: 4335551

Abstract

1. The responses of the smooth muscle of the capsule and blood vessels of the isolated, perfused human spleen to sympathetic nerve stimulation, adrenaline, noradrenaline, angiotensin, oxytocin, vasopressin, isoprenaline and acetylcholine have been investigated and compared with those of dog spleen.

2. Stimulation of the postganglionic sympathetic nerves to the human spleen at frequencies of 3-10 Hz evoked graded vasoconstriction but very small changes in spleen volume.

3. The injection of adrenaline and noradrenaline in doses of 0·25-25 μg to the human spleen produced graded increases in splenic vascular resistance with very small decreases in spleen volume.

4. Administration of the α-adrenoceptor blocking drug phenoxybenzamine completely abolished or considerably reduced the vascular responses of the human spleen to sympathetic nerve stimulation or the injection of noradrenaline.

5. The vascular action of adrenaline was often reversed to elicit a vasodilatation after phenoxybenzamine suggesting the presence of β-adrenoceptors in the vascular bed. This was confirmed by the administration of isoprenaline which induced a marked reduction in vascular resistance of the human spleen.

6. The polypeptides angiotensin and vasopressin induced a marked vasoconstriction in the human spleen without changes in the spleen volume. These effects were uninfluenced by the administration of phenoxybenzamine.

7. The polypeptide oxytocin caused a slight vasodilatation in the human spleen, an effect almost exactly mimicked by the preservative chlorobutanol.

8. Preliminary experiments suggest that noradrenaline is the transmitter released by the postganglionic nerves to the human spleen.

9. These results provide direct evidence that the normal human spleen, unlike that of the dog, does not have a reservoir function. It is suggested that contractions of the enlarged human spleen may occur in various pathological conditions.

Full text

PDF
20

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allison D. J., Powis D. A. Adrenal catecholamine secretion during stimulation of the nasal mucous membrane in the rabbit. J Physiol. 1971 Sep;217(2):327–339. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009574. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ayers A. B., Davies B. N., Withrington P. G. The responses of the isolated perfused spleen of man to sympathetic nerve stimulation, catecholamines and polypeptides. Br J Pharmacol. 1970 Nov;40(3):575P–576P. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BERTLER A., CARLSSON A., ROSENGREN E. A method for the fluorimetric determination of adrenaline and noradrenaline in tissues. Acta Physiol Scand. 1958 Dec 15;44(3-4):273–292. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1958.tb01627.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BOWDLER A. J. Theoretical considerations concerning measurement of the splenic red cell pool. Clin Sci. 1962 Oct;23:181–195. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Barcroft J., Harris H. A., Orahovats D., Weiss R. A contribution to the physiology of the spleen. J Physiol. 1925 Oct 31;60(5-6):443–456. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1925.sp002261. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DALY M. D., SCOTT M. J. The effects of acetylcholine on the volume and vascular resistance of the dog's spleen. J Physiol. 1961 Apr;156:246–259. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1961.sp006673. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Davies B. N., Robinson B. H., Withrington P. G. The effects of graded doses of phenoxybenzamine on the vascular and capsular responses of the isolated, blood-perfused dogs spleen to sympathetic nerve stimulation and catecholamines. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1969 Jul;180(1):143–154. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Davies B. N., Withrington P. G. The effects of prostaglandins E1 and E2 on the smooth muscle of the dog spleen and on its responses to catecholamines, angiotensin and nerve stimulation. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1968 Jan;32(1):136–144. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1968.tb00437.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dill D. B., Talbott J. H., Edwards H. T. Studies in muscular activity: VI. Response of several individuals to a fixed task. J Physiol. 1930 May 31;69(3):267–305. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1930.sp002649. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. GREEN H. D., OTTIS K., KITCHEN T. Autonomic stimulation and blockade on canine splenic inflow, outflow and weight. Am J Physiol. 1960 Feb;198:424–428. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1960.198.2.424. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Greenway C. V., Lawson A. E., Stark R. D. Vascular responses of the spleen to nerve stimulation during normal and reduced blood flow. J Physiol. 1968 Feb;194(2):421–433. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008416. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Greenway C. V., Stark R. D. The vascular responses of the spleen to intravenous infusions of catecholamines, angiotensin and vasopressi in the anaesthetized cat. Br J Pharmacol. 1970 May;38(3):583–592. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1970.tb10599.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Greenway C. V., Stark R. D. Vascular responses of the spleen to rapid haemorrhage in the anaesthetized cat. J Physiol. 1969 Sep;204(1):169–179. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008906. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. HAEGGENDAL J. AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR FLUORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF ADRENALINE AND NORADRENALINE IN PLASMA AND TISSUES. Acta Physiol Scand. 1963 Nov;59:242–254. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1963.tb02739.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. HARRIS I. M., MCALISTER J. M., PRANKERD T. A. The relationship of abnormal red cells to the normal spleen. Clin Sci. 1957 May;16(2):223–230. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. HARRIS I. M., McALISTER J., PRANKERD T. A. Splenomegaly and the circulating red cell. Br J Haematol. 1958 Jan;4(1):97–102. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1958.tb03838.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hertting G., Suko J. Influence of angiotensin, vasopressin or changes in flow rate on vasoconstriction, changes in volume and [3H]-noradrenaline release following postganglionic sympathetic nerve stimulation in the isolated cat spleen. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1966 Mar;26(3):686–696. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1966.tb01848.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. MCEWEN L. M. The effect on the isolated rabbit heart of vagal stimulation and its modification by cocaine, hexamethonium and ouabain. J Physiol. 1956 Mar 28;131(3):678–689. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1956.sp005493. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Moerman E. J., Scapagnini U., De Schaepdryver A. F. Adrenergic receptors in the isolated perfused dog spleen. Eur J Pharmacol. 1969 Feb;5(3):279–285. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(69)90149-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. PRANKERD T. A. THE SPLEEN AND ANAEMIA. Br Med J. 1963 Aug 31;2(5356):517–524. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5356.517. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Richards J. D., Toghill P. J. The distribution of erythrocytes in the human spleen in health and disease. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1967 Apr;93(2):653–660. doi: 10.1002/path.1700930226. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Somlyo A. P., Somlyo A. V. Vascular smooth muscle. II. Pharmacology of normal and hypotensive vessels. Pharmacol Rev. 1970 Jun;22(2):249–353. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. TOGHILL P. J. RED-CELL POOLING IN ENLARGED SPLEENS. Br J Haematol. 1964 Jul;10:347–357. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1964.tb00711.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. VENDSALU A. Studies on adrenaline and noradrenaline in human plasma. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1960;49(173):1–123. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. VON EULER U., FRANKSSON C., HELLSTROM J. Adrenaline and noradrenaline content of surgically removed human suprarenal glands. Acta Physiol Scand. 1954 Jun 21;31(1):6–8. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1954.tb01108.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES